Apple has officially revealed the champions of its prestigious 2025 App Store Awards, honouring a total of 17 standout apps and games. Announced on Thursday, these winners were selected for their exceptional creativity, innovative design, user-friendly interfaces, and significant cultural influence.
Celebrating Developer Excellence and Innovation
The Cupertino technology leader stated that the winners were chosen from a pool of 45 finalists. This selection process underscores how developers worldwide continue to deliver fresh concepts and useful tools to users across Apple's ecosystem of devices.
Apple CEO Tim Cook commented on the awards, stating they mirror the incredible creativity witnessed annually on the App Store. He emphasised that the chosen applications demonstrate how brilliant ideas can transform into experiences that simplify daily life, boost productivity, or provide pure enjoyment. Cook remarked, “This year’s winners represent the creativity and excellence that define the App Store, and they demonstrate the meaningful impact that world-class apps and games have on people everywhere.”
Top Apps of the Year Across Apple Platforms
The 2025 awards highlighted the best applications tailored for each Apple device. Tiimo was crowned the iPhone App of the Year. This visual planning tool employs a simple design and integrated AI features to assist users in breaking down their objectives into manageable, daily tasks.
For the iPad, the award was secured by Detail. This app provides easy-to-use AI-powered video editing tools, effectively democratising professional-grade editing for both novices and seasoned creators. On the Mac, Essayist gained recognition for helping students and researchers format academic papers swiftly and without stress.
The Apple Vision Pro App of the Year is Explore POV, which transports users to stunning global destinations through immersive 3D video experiences. Meanwhile, Strava earned the title of Apple Watch App of the Year, lauded for its clean interface and real-time activity tracking that motivates athletes. For Apple TV, HBO Max was selected for enhancing accessibility with American Sign Language options and offering a vast entertainment library.
Champion Games and Cultural Impact Honourees
In the gaming category, Pokémon TCG Pocket won iPhone Game of the Year for its vibrant artwork and phone-optimised, easy-to-learn card battles. The iPad Game of the Year is DREDGE, recognised for its unique blend of cosy fishing mechanics with eerie, mysterious undertones.
Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition was celebrated as the Mac Game of the Year for bringing its expansive, futuristic open world to Apple computers. On Apple Vision Pro, Porta Nubi impressed with its atmospheric puzzles that fully immerse players in a virtual environment. WHAT THE CLASH? won Apple Arcade Game of the Year for its humorous and chaotic mini-games that appeal to all age groups.
Beyond the main categories, Apple specially recognised six apps and games for driving positive change in society. These Cultural Impact winners were chosen for promoting kindness, understanding, accessibility, and creativity.
- Art of Fauna: Transforms animal illustrations into calming, accessible puzzles designed for players of all abilities.
- Chants of Sennaar: Explores the power of communication through a narrative centred on language.
- despelote: Offers an intimate, emotional perspective on life in a nation undergoing major change, connected by a shared passion for football.
- Be My Eyes: Honoured for leveraging AI and a volunteer network to assist people who are blind or have low vision with everyday tasks.
- Focus Friend by Hank Green: Helps users maintain productivity by gamifying focused work sessions.
- StoryGraph: Supports an inclusive reading community, aiding users in discovering diverse authors and tracking their reading habits.
A Testament to Evolving Technology and Inclusive Design
Apple stated that this year's awards spotlight how developers persist in creating apps and games that inspire, support, and entertain millions globally. The 2025 winners clearly illustrate the rising significance of AI tools, inclusive design principles, and immersive storytelling within Apple's ecosystem. The awards not only celebrate technical achievement but also honour applications that foster a more understanding and accessible digital world.
